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Parents urge Eden district to save German program after teachers retirement
Summary
Multiple parents told the board they want the district to keep the German language program after a retirement. District staff said the vacancy will be posted and the administration is exploring options, but certified candidates are scarce.
During the public comment period, several parents asked the board to preserve the German language program after the longtime teacher retired. Catherine Schneider, who said she works in the district and has children enrolled, told the board: "Are there plans to replace Frau Crinen after retirement and keep German going?" She added later, "I really want to encourage our district to continue to offer this if possible."
Jessica Antonik, also a parent, urged the district to at least allow current students to continue through the program and pressed the board to "post the vacancy" promptly: "Please post the vacancy. Start the process. Get it moving so that we can have hope for this program."
An assistant/superintendent-level official (identified in meeting materials as the superintendent) acknowledged the concern and said the district would "do our best" to find a qualified candidate, noting certification and supply constraints in specialized language hires. The official said the district intends to post the opening and described multiple staffing scenarios (a German-certified hire, a teacher pursuing certification, or a dual-certified hire) that would affect which languages can be offered next year.
The board did not adopt a formal policy at the meeting but directed staff to continue recruitment and to provide updates. "We're gonna post. We are. There is a plan," the official said, adding that internal processes must finish first.
